Talking-picture machine



Nov. 18, '1930. T, w. CASE 1,781,945

TALKING PICTURE MACHINE Filed March 14,1928

Patented Nov. 18, i 1930 UNITED STAT-Es ,omes- LABORATORY, INIG., 0F AUBURN, NEW

TALKING-PICTURE laminrfili i Application led March '1.4,

This invention relates tocertain-new and'v useful improvements 1n talking p1cture machines.'

` In the production or reproduction of af film record correspondingto sound waves, it is customary to move the'film or record element over a base plate having an opening therein through which opening the re'cord element'- is subJected to a line oflight of desired area, and to maintainthe record element in tight contact with the track or base-plate by means of a shoe which overlies that portion of the record element upon which the sound record exists, and it is found. that in repeated'use of a record element'the frictional contact of the element yvith the members disposed upon opposite sides of it tends-to scrape off portions of the record element, and as a result-the record deteriorates, and-the main object of this invention isto provide anapparatusby means of which an accurate and uniform record can be produced or reproduced without p lfrictional contact of that portion of the element having the sound record thereon withv either the track over which it moves, ortho shoe or shoes whichhold it in tight contacta with the track, permitting long use of `a record element without deterioration of the sound record.

Other objects and advantages relate to the details of the structure, all as will more fully.- appear from the following description taken in connection Withthe accompanying draw-- ingsin which:-- l e Figure l isan elevation? partially in' section of an apparatus of this invention. Figure 2 is a section on line 2 2, Figurel. Figure 3 is -a section online 3 3, Figure. 1, and in additionl illustrating Aa mechanism for focussing a line f light upon a lilm movingover an opening 'in the track or base plate. s

The apparatus as here illustrated may comprise a moving picture machine, a portion of which is illustrated at 1 combined in this 4 instance with a replaceable talking picture unit.

The talking picture unit cdm'prisesa body VsectionY or base-plate -2- including a flange -3-, in this instnace extending at substantially rightangles to the body and formed A the slit-61s- Yonx, A conromrro'n'or NEwgYon i928. serial ne.. 261,611. A

with a of screws i-,f three being illustrated Ain' this instance, and Whichare adaptednto be threaded into openings in the wall i-1 ofV the moving picture machine. The bodysection -2- furtherlincludes spaced longitu dinally extending tracks and -6-, elevatedabove thecentral portion ofthe bod combined with longitudinally exten e .ing lateral guides -7- and .-36- disposed 'rnnononn wILLAnn ossia, or inui'snnN, NEWv Yoan; nssrGNoaTo caen kunnen' plurality- 'of openings for the reception I upon opposite sides of and elevated :abovel One of these guides, as -7-, is preferably laterally'mov'able with respect to the body 2- so as to tightl 4 edge'of the film A andx in contact with the g, eason the guide'.-7-` is formed with lateralsizrrews T97- which extend into openings in engage the adjacenthold the opposite edge: ide 36-. For'tlns 0 extending slots -S-fadapted to receive the body, and as the strip -7-. 'lies in sub- -stantial contact with thewall -1-, this wall is formed Withone or more lrecesses -10- adaptedt receive coil springs lgwhich bear against the outer edge of the guide 7-3 and .tend to force it inwardly towardthe guide e136- so that the-film will at all times s vbe tightly confined. betwen the guides.

The; track in this illustration is ormedwith an opening 12 o f desired size,v and through which opening a portion of the moving over track -5- may be exposed Q a line of light vof desired size and intensity. This line of light may be produced in any suitable manner, as for instance by focusing the image ofa slit upon the 'record element,

-t e means illustrated in Figure3 consisting o a Source of light -5Q-',a lens -60-Y for focusing the light from said source upon a slit .-61-'- formed in a thin layer -62- of metal or vothersuitable opaque material pref-- Aau" erablydeposited upon a transparent rplate -63- of glass or the like. Thev image of may then be focused upon film' Aby system. f

The. guide 36- may, if desired, becut away at-its inner edge so asto4 form a lateral means of lens G4- or any desired lens ries a plurality of, in this instance two recess -`17 which4 preferably extends some distance' upon opposite sides of opening H12- to prevent the accumulation of dirt' and foregn matter at the juncture `of guide -36 and track -5- adjacent the opening Means is provided for-holding the record 4element or'film 1n tight contact with' the -21, one for pressing the film into the shoe which is adapted to hold the film in contact with the track -'-5 is formed with a longitudinal groove -26- extending throughout substantially the entire length of the shoe, andof a width equal to and overlying the narrow portion -b-' of the film which contains the record corresponding to sound wave variations so that the portion -bof the film in passing beneath shoe -21- does not contact with the shoe, but the flanges f50- and -51- upon oppositesides of the groove or channel -26-4- bearagainst the film at the opposite edges of the sound record and hold the film in tight contact with -that portion of the shoe -21- the track V--5-. Y

The flanges -50- and -51- lconstitute in effect two shoes spaced apart a distance substantially 'equal to the width iof the sound record portion of said element and bearing against theelement upon opposite sides of. vsaid sound record ortion to maintain the record element in at and uniform contact with the track ,-5-. a

'At a point overlying the opening -12- the base of the groove or channel 2 being which cony Y lwith an opening .-27- here shown as of circular form, altho the form and size may be varied. The shoes 2lmay be separated from theV plate -20- by means of pins -31- secured to the shoes and extending through the plate in a slidable manner, springs -22 being mountedon the pins -beneath the shoes and the. plate so that the shoes are urged by respective springs` toward the tracks -5- and -6 to resiliently hold the film in contact with the tracks.

extending outwardly therefrom and positioned in an elongated slot -25 in the tube with this construction the `ahh is held ih is connected at its ba'se by' and the longitudinal channel 'or groove -26- in the shoe -21- permits the passage of the sound record beneath the shoe without frictional or sliding contact of the shoe with the effective portion of the sound record, and the structure so far described except as to the specific means for exposing the film to a line of light of desired size and form is substantially the same as that disclosed in my reissue application Serial No. 223,984 filed October 4, 1927, and the distin'ct feature of improvement sought to be claimed in this application resides in the provision of means for preventingfrictional contact of the sound record with the track -5- while the record 4element is moving underneath the shoe .-21-, and this is effected by forming lthe track -5- with a groove or channel E32- of substantial-ly the same width as the groove or channel -26- and aligned with it and ex- 'tending over the opening l2- in the base depth, but should, as stated, be'of approximately the width of the sound record so that the shoes or flanges -50- or '-51- will hold the record element tightly against the track 5 upon opposite sides of the groove This channel #-52- may be of any suitable I -52. By this construction the record element is at all times maintained in close yet neither side of that portion of the record element which contains the sound record is -in frictional contact with either the track or the shoe, While the record element is held tightly ,I

against the track -5- by the shoe -21- and as a resultl no portion of the record element is removed by frictional contact with l either the track or the shoe, and altho I have shown and described a specific structure as constituting a perhaps preferred, form of the invention, I do not desire to restrict myself to the details of the same as various and many changes may be made within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim: i

1. In an apparatus'for producing or reproducing sound pictures in connection with a record element having or adapted to have a narrow sound record. thereon, al body portion having a track upon which the film is adapted to ride, means for holding the` record velement in contact with the track and said track formed with a longitudinal channel underlying the portion of the record element which bears the sound record but positioned to one side of that portion of the record element which bears the picture.

2. In an apparatusfor producing or reproducing sound picturesin connection with l a recordleleinent having or adapted to have a narrow sound record thereon, a bod portion having a track upon which the lm is adapted to ride, means for holding the record element in contact with the track and saidY track formed with a longitudinalchannel underlying the portion of the record element which bears the sound record, and an opening through the track leading tosaid channelto permit the passage of light rays .record but positioned to one side of that portion of the record element which` bears the picture, and means for holding the record element in tight contact with the track.

4. -In an apparatus for producing or reproducing sound pictures in connection with f a record element having or adapted to have sound record portlon.

to said channel to a narrow sound record thereon, a bod portion having artrack upon which the lm is adapted to ride, said track formed with a longitudinal channel underlying the portion of the record element which bears the sound record, an lopening through lthe track leading to said channel to permit the passage of light rays to the record element, and means for holding the record element in tight contact with the track. A

5. Inanapparatus for producing or re'- producing sound ictures in connection with a 'record element aving or adapted to have a narrow sound record thereon, a bod por. tion having a track upon which the is adapted to ride, said track formed with a longitudinal channel underlyin the portion of the record element which bears the sound, record but positioned to one side of that portion' of the record? element which bears the icture, and said means 'including two spaced) shoes adapted to contact with the record element upon opposite sides of the 6. In an apparatus for producing or' reproducing sound pictures in connection with .a record element having or adapted to have a narrow sound record thereon, abody portionv having a track upon which the lm is adapt-l ed to ride, said track formed with a'longitudinal channel underlying the portion of Athe record element which b earsthe` sound record, an opening through the track leading rmit the passage of light rays to the\recor y cludin two spaced shoes adapted to contact with the record element upon opposite a record element having or adapted to have`^ a narrow sound record thereon, a bod portion having a track upon which theY lm is sides of the sound -record portion. 7 In an apparatus for producingor reproducing sound pictures in connection adapted-a ride, ad ma: formed with s element, said means mlongitudinal channel underlying the portion of the record element which bears the sound record but positioned to one side of that portion of the record element which bears the picture, and means for holding the record ord, an opening through the track leading to f said channel to permit the passage o light rays to the record element, means for holding the record element in tight contact with the track, saidfmeans includin two spaced shoes adapted to contact with t e record ele- I ment upon opposite sides of the sound record portion.

9. In an apparatus for producing or reproducing sound pictures in connection with a record element having or adapted to have a narrow sound record thereon,.a body rtion having a track upon which the film isA adapted to ride, means for holding the rec- Aord element in contact with the track and said track formed with-a longitudinal channel underl ing the portion of the record element whic bears the sound recordbut positoned wholly to one side of the portion of the record element bearin the picture, and

-an openingthrough the c annel portion of the .track to permit the passage of light rays to the record element.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set 4my hand this ninth day of March, 1928. 

